On Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:45:02 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:

>Alas, our favorite pizza joint is now owned by a chain and has gone to
>hell in a handbasket, we no longer go there. You're exactly right
>Ranger, sometimes a relationship must end.

Views differ. I don't call that ending a relationship with a
restaurant. The restaurant ended the relationship with you.

On a happier note, our favorite pizza restaurant was bought by a long
time customer over 25 years ago. The old owner mentored/trained the
new owner for a year and visited the restaurant at least once a month
up to his death. The new owner changed the name of the restaurant to
his name, but didn't touch the decor or the menu for over a year.
First thing to go was my favorite lasagne. I've never had one like it
before or since. It was probably a cook's secret type of recipe that
left with either the old owner or a long time cook. The new lasagna
is fine, it's just different. Another big change was they took our
favorite pizza off the menu, but they still have all the ingredients
(which includes ground chicken) so we order off the menu now.

We watched the new owner's kids grow up (they started off bussing
tables, now one manages their second restaurant), he watched our kids
grow up and now our grandson. He warmly greets us as long time
customers whether we come in as an entire family or individual
families now. Best of all, his business is very good.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West